club annual - extension kenosha county...2010/07/14 · poppy (argemone), to name four. this fact...
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Potpourri Garden Club Annual Plant Sale Saturday, May 17,
from 9:30 a.m.-1 p.m.
Regency Mall
Located in front of Target.
Each member brings at least
200 plants, so there will be
thousands available for
purchase. Please bring your
own boxes for carrying your
plants. The sale is held rain
or shine (but let’s hope for
shine)!
Wild Ones Native Plant Sale Saturday, June 7th,
from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at
Seno Woodland Center,
3606 Dyer Lake Road,
Burlington, Wisconsin
There will be many new
offerings and old favorites to
tempt you--this is not the
time to restraint!
Contact Chris Russin at
or (262) 857-3191
Poppies deserve a place in any garden:
in wildflower and meadow plantings,
perennial borders, cutting gardens or
mixed-shrub borders. Their flower colors
range from vibrant to subdued—from
deepest crimson, bright orange and
yellow to soft pink, dusky peach, rose,
lilac , and cream. Flowers may be single,
double or semi-double, with amazing
texture and size. The Iceland poppy
produces flowers up to seven inches
across above attractive blue-green,
segmented foliage. The Shirley poppy
bears single or double crepe-paper-like
blooms edged with white. Field, or
Flanders, poppies sport single, crimson
flowers, which suit wildflower plantings
perfectly. Poppies vary in height from 2
to 3 feet tall, although there are dwarf
strains of the Iceland poppy that reach
only 12 inches. The beauty of poppy
blooms is like a magnificent sunset,
somewhat fleeting. Flowers appear
primarily in the spring or fall when cool
temperatures prevail.
What’s in a Name?
Many plants in a number of genera reside
in the poppy family, Papaveraceae, and
bear the name poppy: California poppy
(Eschscholzia), blue poppy (Meconopsis),
plumed poppy (Macleaya) and prickly
poppy (Argemone), to name four. This fact
sheet will focus on the genus Papaver,
which includes most of the poppy species.
The genus Papaver contains annuals and
perennials.
The annual poppy, P. rhoeas (pronounced
row-ays), which gardeners have cultivated
for centuries, goes by a variety of common
names, from corn or field poppy to Flanders
poppy and Shirley poppy. The “corn” of
corn poppy does not, as some people
assume, refer only to its habit of showing
up in cornfields. Corn is Old English for
seed and from korn, the Greek word for
grain; the seed in this case refers to fields
of grains like rye, wheat and oat. Poppy
seeds may lie dormant in soil for years and
germinate when the soil is disturbed, as by
a plow. Flanders poppy is the single, red
Quarterly Newsletter – Fall/Winter 2013
flower that carpeted fields in
Flanders in western Europe,
noticed especially during
World War I. It became
famous when John McCrae,
a Canadian soldier, wrote a
poem about it in 1917
commemorating the soldiers
who had died: “In Flanders
Fields, the poppies grow/
Between the crosses, row on
row....” The Shirley poppy
also has an interesting
history, which you can read
about in the next section.
The Iceland poppy, P.
nudaucaule (new-dih-caw-
lee), a perennial, isn’t
actually from Iceland but
from Asia. It undoubtedly
cross-pollinated in the wild
and in gardens with a few of
its closely related species,
including P. radicatum, which
is from Iceland. Most
catalogs list the Iceland
poppy as P. nudaucaule,
and, no matter what species
name it goes by, it is very
easy to grow from seed.
It is winter-hardy from Zones
2 to 8.
Other poppies include the
perennial Alpine poppy (P.
alpinum and other diminutive
species), which fit beautifully
in rock gardens and the
perennial Oriental poppy, P.
orientale, which gardeners
usually grow from root
divisions not seeds.
Historical Perspective
People have grown poppies
for thousands of years, as far
back as 5000 BC, when
cultivated in Mesopotamia
near the Tigris and
Euphrates rivers. Arch-
aeologists have found the
remains of poppies in
Egyptian tombs dating back
3000 years. Myths about
Greek and Roman gods
mention poppies. The Greeks
thought the poppy was a
favorite flower of Demeter,
the goddess of fertility and
agriculture because she was
said to wear a wreath of
wheat and barley interlaced
with poppies. According to
myth, she also used the juice
of the poppy in a concoction
to cure a farmer’s son when
the farmer helped her in her
search for her daughter
Persephone. Because
Demeter was responsible for
good harvests, people
believed that poppies
growing around a field meant
a bountiful crop, hence the
common name corn (grain)
poppy. That belief held for
centuries in many parts of the
world, even though the plants
often proved to be a
nuisance, interfering with
harvesting.
Throughout Europe, Asia,
and North Africa, poppies
were important medicinal
plants. The flowers of the
corn poppy contain
rhoeadine, an alkaloid
used in mild sedatives. In
The Complete Herbal,
published in England in
1649, mentions the use of
the flowers and seeds in
medicines to guard against
coughs and sore throats.
The poppies grown were
usually single-flowered,
red, yellow or orange with
dark or white blotches at
the base of the petals. In
the late 1800s, the
Reverend W. Wilkes, vicar
of Shirley in England,
discovered a new form of
the annual poppy growing
in his garden. The flower
had a narrow edge of white
around each petal and no
blotch. He sowed the
seeds from that plant and
continued to select from
subsequent generations
until he had a group of
poppies with single, tissue-
paper-like petals, no dark
blotches at the base and
colors ranging from pale
pink to lilac and mauve, as
well as red. These became
known as Shirley poppies.
Other gardeners over the
years made selections
from their plantings of
Shirley poppies so that
today there are double and
semi-double forms and
picotee flowers with lighter
or darker edges.
Top: Papaver somniferum ‘Lauren’s Grape’ Upper middle: Papaver orientale ‘Cedric Morris’ Lower middle: Meconopsis betonicifolia ‘Himalayan Blue’ Bottom: Papaver orientale ‘Papillon Pink’
Poppies, unlike many other
perennials and annuals,
usually attain improved
performance, colors and
sizes through selection, not
hybridization. Some breeders
in Europe and Australia
produce F1 hybrids, but most
companies in the United
States offer open-pollinated
varieties. English breeders
are working on hybrid
poppies that do not set seed,
thus extending the flowering
season.
Annuals
Corn poppy Papaver rhoeas,
grows 2 to 3 feet tall, blooms
from late spring through
summer and bears red,
purple, lilac, white, salmon,
peach, pink or orange flowers
with a distinctive dark blotch
at the base of each petal. The
Shirley poppy, a selection
from the species, grows to 4
feet tall; its pastel blooms
lack the blotch but have a
narrow white or tinted edge
on each petal.
Perennials
Alpine poppy P. alpinum,
grows 5 to 10 inches tall,
blooms from late spring to
summer and bears white,
yellow, or occasionally
orange or red flowers. It is
hardy in Zones 5 to 8.
Iceland poppy P. nudicaule,
grows 1 to 2 feet tall, blooms
from late spring through
summer and produces orange,
red, yellow, apricot, pink,
salmon or white flowers. It is
hardy in Zones 2 to 8.
Oriental poppy P. orientale,
grows 2 to 4 feet tall, blooms
from late spring to midsummer
and bears scarlet, salmon,
pink, peach, white or rose
blooms, usually with a black
blotch at the base of the
petals. The foliage dies back
after flowering but begins to
regrow in fall. It is hardy in
Zones 4 to 9
Purchasing Poppies at a
Garden Center
Even though annual and
Iceland poppies grow easily
from seed you sow yourself,
you can purchase started
plants at garden centers and
nurseries, where you are also
likely to find the perennial
oriental group.
Look for young plants with a
number of flower stems and
unopened buds. Examine the
plants carefully. Pass up any
with yellowed leaves, which
can indicate over-watering and
potential root rot. Check the
crown of the plant where the
foliage joins the roots; if it looks
“mushy,” avoid the plant
because that is another
indication of over-watering or
poor drainage.
Pests and Diseases
Poppies are seldom bothered
by pests or diseases. Their
resistance to pests or
diseases is advantageous
because they often react
adversely to sprays. The best
solution is prevention. Space
plants so they have good air
circulation. Do not over
water. Plant them in soil with
good drainage.
Aphids may attack young
plants in bud. Wash them off
with a hard spray of water
from the garden hose or, in
severe cases, use an
insecticidal soap spray.
Four-legged creatures such
as ground hogs may find the
plants tasty. The only
protection against them is a
humane trap that allows you
to capture and transport the
animals elsewhere.
Downy mildew, a fungus, can
be a problem for young
plants. Its symptoms include
yellow blotches on the upper
sides of leaves with a gray
mold on the undersides.
Because of their sensitivity to
sprays, chemical or
otherwise, your best cure is
prevention.
To read the full text visit:
ngb.org “2003: Year of the
Poppy”
The source of this article
is a Poppy Fact Sheet
provided as a service
from the National Garden
Bureau. The National
Garden Bureau
recognizes Eleanore
Lewis as the author of
this fact sheet. We wish
to thank the two Poppy
experts who reviewed
our text before
publication. Howard
Bodger of Bodger Seeds
Ltd. and Gene Milstein of
Applewood Seed
Company greatly
assisted our efforts to
provide accurate
information.
Top: Papaver rhoeas Common name Red Flanders Bottom: Eschscholzia californica Common name California poppy
It’s hard not to notice the winter burn on
so many evergreens in our area. The fol-
lowing is a recent article published in the
Chicago Tribune.
Many evergreens in Chicago-area gar-
dens are showing such brown needles
and leaves after the long, cold winter. This
kind of damage — foliage and stems that
have dried out — is commonly called win-
ter burn. The staff of the Chicago Botanic
Garden in Glencoe is observing more win-
ter burn than in past years.
Evergreens are usually among the first
plants to show visible signs of winter injury
in the spring. Signs of winter burn include
needles or leaves that have turned golden
or brown. Sometimes a plant has an over-
all yellowish or off-green color. Leaves
may appear bleached.
The damage commonly occurs on the
south or southwest side of the plant or on
the windward side of a plant in an ex-
posed site.
During the cold winter months, evergreens
continue to lose water vapor through their
leaves or needles. The leaves must re-
place the water by pulling it up from the
roots. But when the ground is frozen, the
plants' roots cannot absorb water to re-
supply the leaves.
If the weather turns warm and sunny while
the ground is frozen, evaporation from the
leaves increases and the water cannot be
replaced.
The resulting symptoms, discolored or
"burned" foliage, tend to
show up quickly in spring,
when days are sunny and
warm.
De-icing salts used on
paths and driveways also
can damage plants, be-
cause salt draws away
water and causes plants
to dry out. In snowy years
when more salt is used,
there tends to be more
plant damage. Most road
crews used a lot of salt this
past year.
Plants can be damaged
when salt-laden snow is
shoveled onto them or
when salty spray is kicked
up by passing cars. The
faster the speed limit, the farther the spray
can carry.
Evergreens damaged by salt spray devel-
op brown or scorched foliage that is usual-
ly worse on the sides facing the road. The
salt also will affect plants' roots when
melted salt soaks into the soil.
If winter burn damage is minimal, you can
simply trim off any brown tips of ever-
greens. If the browning is more extensive,
the plant may not recover. If you are not
sure whether the plant is dead, give it
more time to see what happens.
April 13, 2014 By Tim Johnson,
Special to the Tribune
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2014-04
-13/features/ct-home-0411-garden-qa-
evergreens-20140413_1_salt-spray-winter
-burn-plant
Leaf scorch symptoms can occur on
broadleaved evergreens. Damage is most
severe on shallow rooted plants such as
azalea, rhododendron, holly, grape holly,
boxwood, mountain laurel, or those at
their northern limit for winter hardiness
(Magnolia grandiflora, Acuba japonica,
Ligustrum lucidum, Camellia spp. and oth-
ers). Injury occurs on dry, windy, warm or
sunny winter days when the ground is fro-
zen. Plants are unable to move water from
frozen soil to replace water lost from the
leaves. In many cases damage occurs
during the winter months but symptoms
appear in the spring as the plant begins to
emerge from the winter dormant period
and move into the spring growth phase.
See more at: http://extension.umd.edu/
learn/winter-damage-landscape-
plants#sthash.ZF3wBpjK.dpuf
Winter-damaged plants need a dose of patience
Symptoms Winter burn damage appears after the snow and
ice accumulation on evergreen material finally
melts in the early spring. Typically the leaves or
needles of the evergreen show signs of sagging,
wilting and yellowing.
Our native species of columbine, Aquilegia canadensis – commonly called
eastern red columbine, wild columbine, or Canadian columbine – is at its
peak in spring when its dangling blooms offer ornamental interest and food
for ruby throated hummingbirds. This wildflower in the buttercup family
(Ranunculaceae) occurs naturally in open woodlands, clearings, and rocky
slopes from Nova Scotia to Saskatchewan and in most states east of the
Rockies (zones 2-9). It is an attractive, old-fashioned garden plant that has
received the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit.
This erect, sparingly branched herbaceous perennial grows foliage each
year from a caudex (a vertical underground stem) and may form woody
rhizomes. Height is quite variable, from 6 inches to 4 feet tall, depending
on soil, light, moisture, and other conditions. The glaucous, light green to
blue-green, three-lobed leaves grow both from the base and along the
flower stems. The basal leaves are produced first, forming a mound of
foliage. Each compound leaf’s three leaflets are divided into three rounded
lobes, which may be further subdivided in threes to look like large rounded
teeth. The foliage is quite attractive even when the plants are not in bloom
and will turn yellow in fall (if moist enough; the foliage will senesce in mid
to late autumn, dying back to the caudex, if dry). Under the right conditions
it can develop red and orange coloration.
To learn more about this ruby-throated hummingbird favorite, visit the
Wisconsin Master Gardener site (wimastergardener.org) and search for
Eastern Red Columbine or go directly to the full article at the address
below:
http://wimastergardener.org/?q=Aquilegia_canadensis
Eastern Red Columbine
Can be purchased at the Wild One’s Native
Plant Sale, Sat., June 7th at the Seno Center in
Burlington—contact MGV Chris Russin with any
questions at [email protected]
or (262) 857-3191
Eastern Red Columbine, Aquilegia canadensis
According to Better Homes and Gardens, “Ferns are the quintessential shade plants. Their graceful, arching fronds conjure up
images of shaded retreats and cool walks by wooded streams. Ferns will grow in the deepest, darkest woodland. They will grow
in moist soil and even standing water.” The members of the Hardy Fern Foundation, a non-profit focused on public fern educa-
tion would probably agree.
The Hardy Ferns Foundation has a great website filled with information about ferns including a fern da-
tabase, resource lists, events, and even a spore exchange. As with other perennials, the best time to
plant is during the spring and fall when the rain is plentiful. Their website is http://www.hardyferns.org
This year the Wild One’s added four new ferns to their plant sale offerings:
Dennstaedtia punctilobula - Hay-scented fern (Shade)
Dryopteris intermedia - Fancy wood fern (Shade)
Matteuccia struthiopteris - Ostrich fern (Shade)
Osmunda cinnamomea - Cinnamon fern (Shade)
Attention Fern Lovers
Cinnamon fern
Photo: Mike Dunn
Paul G. Jaeger was an agricultural agent for Kenosha County UW-Extension,
associate professor at the
University of Wisconsin-Madison
and a lifetime member of the
Kenosha County Fair Board. He
was also an employee of the U.S.
Department of Agriculture and for
23 years wrote a weekly column
for the Kenosha Evening News.
Jaeger died Feb. 26 at Canterbury
Home of Kenosha at age 94. From
1953 until his retirement in 1980, Jaeger thrived in his role as Extension agricultural
agent. He also became very involved with the Kenosha County Fair Board and the
Dairy Breakfast.
Jaeger loved being a source of information. “He was very curious and interested in
sharing knowledge with others,” said Jaeger’s son, Bill. His interest in community
concerns led Jaeger to serve on the Fox River watershed committee, the Chicago-
Milwaukee Corridor Geographic Study, the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning
Commission, the governor’s committee on the future of Bong Recreation Area and the
site committee for UW-Parkside. He also organized the Gateway Florists Association.
Important as these achievements were, however, many people remember Jaeger for
his daffodils and hyacinths. “He had a special talent for arranging flowers,” said Phyllis
Northway, Jaeger’s longtime colleague at the Extension office. “Spring plantings were
his specialty,” said his daughter, Terri Jaeger, figuring that over the course of 50 years
he planted at least 3,000 daffodil bulbs and jonquils.
Source: Heather Larson Poyner, [email protected], Kenosha News
A Life Remembered: From farming
to flowers, agriculture was his life Monarchs need your help! This year
again marks the lowest number of over
wintering Monarchs in the Mexican
mountains in the last 20 years. There
are 97% fewer than at their recorded
height and 50% less than there were
last year. Researchers are worried we
may lose a large part of their migration
this year, if immediate action is not
taken.
In 1991, over 75% of the wintering
Monarchs from North America froze to
death in Mexico as a result of three
days of rain and sub-freezing
conditions. Their numbers showed
some recovery but now there is a
nationwide shortage of milkweed.
These natural events are not the only
challenges that face the Monarch.
Pesticide application and genetically
modified crops cover important parts of
the Monarch's migratory path and serve
as killing fields for any Monarch. They
are unintended casualties in a war to
protect crops.
So, please plant milkweed in your
gardens this year.
For information about acquiring free
seeds visit the source of this article:
https://www.livemonarch.com/free-
milkweed-seeds.htm or e-mail/call
MGV Chris Russin of the Root River
Wild Ones for local sources of seed.
Milkweed plants will be available for
sale at the Wild One’s Native Plant
sale.
Congratulations to MGV Jim Kairis who is among the 12 recipients of this year’s
Volunteer Center of Racine County’s Recognition Awards. Volunteers recognized
through the VCRC’s annual awards are chosen based on volunteer accomplishments;
impact on an individual group or community; and leadership from nominations
submitted by area individuals and nonprofit organizations.
Plant Milkweed
MGV Jim Kairis Wins Award
On Friday, April 25th, MGVs Corrine Merry, Sharon Shouldice,
Jackie Brittig and Linda Graeper, planted a Cornus Mas 'Golden Glory'
at Ridgewood Care Center of Racine as celebration of Arbor
Day. Although it was cold and windy some of the residents came out
to participate in the ceremony.
The Ridgewood Care Center has many gardens including a rose,
water, flag, memorial patio and rock garden. Please contact any of
the following Master Gardener Volunteers to learn how you can help:
Linda Graeper, Jack Ludwig, Corinne Merry or Sharon Shouldice.
Their contact information is listed in your RKMGA handbook.
The Green Works program keeps growing and reaching deeper into our community.
We were very fortunate to receive financial support from the Racine Potpourri Garden
Club which allowed us to purchase grow lights for the greenhouse, adjustable height
work tables to accommodate wheelchairs, and supplies (please remember to shop their
annual plant sale scheduled for Saturday. May 17th).
This winter we hosted the Arc of Racine’s transition students. These young adults with
developmental disabilities (ages 18-21) absolutely loved coming out to the greenhouse
at the Southern Wisconsin Center in Union Grove. In addition to learning about working
in a greenhouse, students learned basic plant botany and did various nature craft
projects with the Master Gardener Volunteers.
We were also out at Lakeside Curative Services leading nature craft projects with an
emphasis on sensory experiences (which isn’t hard when working with beautiful, sweet
smelling flowers and herbs). We helped them pot up pansies for their annual Pansy
Day sale and simply had a great time sharing our love of plants with them.
Then in April we kicked off programming out at the Kenosha Achievement Center
(KAC). There we built a low-tunnel over one of their raised beds and decorated
cupcakes with spring flower motifs with their participants. KAC has made a serious
commitment to continuing their gardening program and we in turn have promised
on-going support.
MGV Gary Schultz is at KAC on Wednesday mornings to help and welcomes other
Master Gardeners to join him. Consumer Horticulture Educator, Jeanne Hilinske-
Christensen will be there once a month to guide them through the growing season.
Please watch for her e-mails announcing when she will be there. And MGV Meryl
Strichartz will be coordinating monthly Green Works team visits with or to KAC.
We have an incredible team of Master Gardener Volunteers involved in this project and are always looking for more. This
summer we will be at The Teaching Garden on Thursday mornings and hopefully working with veterans at the nursing home at
the Southern Wisconsin Center and with RADD—Recreational Activities for the Developmentally Disabled located at 3131 Taylor
Ave., Racine (commonly referred to as the “Taylor Home.”) Please contact MGV Meryl Strichartz at [email protected], if you
would like to receive e-mails announcing dates, times and locations.
Green Works keeps growing
MGV Ann McDonald helps a Green
Works participant stain a gourd. The
project was led by MGV Joyce Schnepf
and was a huge success. The finished
“apples” are pictured below.
Arbor Day at Ridgewood Care Center
2014 Racine/Kenosha Master Gardener Association Program Schedule
Business meeting starts at 6:30 p.m.; educational program starts at 7:15 p.m. Tour start time TBA. Date Location Speaker Topic_____________________
May 19 Racine Christelle Guedot Native Pollinators UW-Extension Entomology Specialist
June 23 Tour Stacy Iwanicki Volo Bog State Natural Area 28478 W. Brandenburg Road Ingleside, IL 60041
July 28 Tour Patti Nagai & MGVs Racine MGV Projects Tour The Teaching Garden, Garden of Giving and the horticulture therapy program at Lakeside Curative
August 25 Kenosha Mary Beth Mahoney Composting Methods Master Composter
Sept. 22 Racine Christy Marsden Seed Saving UW-Extension Rock County, Horticulture Educator
October 27 Kenosha Jeanne Hillinske – Christensen Rejuvenating an “Old” Garden UW-Extension Kenosha County, Horticulture Educator
Nov.17 Racine Tracy Hankwitz Care of Holiday Plants Burlington Garden Center
Dec. 15 Kenosha Holiday Pot Luck Graduation, Awards & Gift Exchange
*Racine: SCJ iMET Center is located in Renaissance Park on Highway H (between Hwys 11 and 20) Program Location: SC Johnson iMET Center Program Info: Racine Co. UW-Extension
2320 Renaissance Blvd 209 North Main Street Sturtevant, WI 53177 Burlington, WI 53105 (262) 898-7500 (262) 767-2929
**Kenosha: Kenosha County Center is located on the NE corner of highways 50 and 45 Program Location & Information: Kenosha County UW-Extension
19600 75th Street, Suite 2, Bristol, WI 53104 (262) 857-1945
Submit articles to Meryl Strichartz (Editor) - [email protected]
University of Wisconsin, U.S. Department of Agriculture and Wisconsin counties cooperating. An EEO/AA employer, University of Wisconsin
Extension provides equal opportunities in employment and programming, including Title IX and American with Disabilities (ADA) requirements.
VISIT THE RACINE & KENOSHA MASTER GARDENER BLOG :http://rkmga.blogspot.com
Kenosha Horticulture Hotline: 262-857-1942
Racine Horticulture Hotline: 262-886-8461
Burlington Horticulture Hotline: 262-767-2919